Auckland: a city of volcanoes, beaches and harbours

For most travellers Auckland is the first stop in New Zealand, and it was no different for me. It is the country's biggest city, yet it doesn't feel like one at all. It lies on a narrow isthmus between two seas, it is built on more than fifty extinct volcanoes, and an hour's drive takes you to a wild black beach. Here are my tips on what to see in Auckland and around it.

Volcanoes in the middle of the city

Auckland stands on a volcanic field, so the lookouts are right in town.

• Mount Eden (Maungawhau): the highest natural point in the city, with a deep crater. The view of the centre, the harbour and the Sky Tower is best at sunset.
• One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie): a park with sheep in the middle of the city.
• Rangitoto: the youngest volcano, an island across from the harbour. It's 25 minutes by ferry, and the climb over the lava fields to the summit takes about an hour.

The centre and the harbour

At 328 metres the Sky Tower is the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere. There is a lookout at the top and, for the brave, a bungee jump. The harbourside Wynyard Quarter is full of restaurants and yachts. A few minutes by ferry takes you to Devonport, a charming suburb of old houses with a view from North Head hill.

Waiheke: the island of vineyards

The ferry from the centre to Waiheke Island takes about 40 minutes. Vineyards, beaches, small galleries and a laid-back atmosphere. An ideal day trip.

The wild beaches of the west coast

Auckland's west coast is a different world: black sand, huge waves and rainforest in the Waitākere Ranges.

• Piha: the most famous surf beach, with the Lion Rock monolith. Nearby, a short track leads to Kitekite Falls.
• Karekare: a smaller beach with a waterfall, where The Piano was filmed.
• Muriwai: a long black beach with a colony of Australasian gannets. From August to March thousands of birds nest on the rocks a few metres from the lookout. A great place to photograph birds in flight.

Getting around Auckland

You can walk the centre, ferries run to the islands and Devonport, and city transport uses the AT HOP card. For the west coast beaches and the surroundings you need a car. Most backpackers buy their car in Auckland: more in buying a car and self-contained certification.

Where to go from Auckland

From Auckland the road leads north to Northland, the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga, or south through Hobbiton and Rotorua into the heart of the North Island. I describe my first days in Auckland in my first days in New Zealand.

Faq